Bryce Underwood has taken home just about every award possible throughout his high school career, and he’s added another trophy to the mantle. The Detroit Athletic Club named Underwood as the Michigan High School Male Athlete of the Year on Monday.
Fellow future Wolverine Trey McKenney (Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, basketball) was a finalist as well.
Bryce Underwood needs more room in the trophy case
According to the DAC website, the award is given to a senior who demonstrated excellence in the form of a 1st Team All-State ranking, and academically, a GPA of 3.0 or higher. The award also recognizes a student-athlete for their school leadership, community involvement and volunteerism.
In April, Underwood displayed his sense of community by partnering with Feldman Chevrolet and Blue By Ninety to gift a new car to a security guard from his high school (Belleville).
Shane Battier (Detroit Country Day) won the inaugural award in 1997 before going on to have a great career at Duke and in the NBA. The following year, all-around athlete and future Wolverine Drew Henson (Brighton) took home the crown. Henson played quarterback at Michigan for three years, spending the first two as Tom Brady’s backup.
After leading Michigan to a Citrus Bowl win over Auburn and finishing his junior season with a 159.4 passer rating in 2001, Henson signed a baseball-only contract with the New York Yankees the same year. He retired from baseball in 2003 and went on to play four seasons in the NFL with the Dallas Cowboys, Minnesota Vikings and Detroit Lions, respectively.
Aidan Hutchinson (Divine Child) also took home the award in 2018.
Per U-of-M’s website, here is a list of the rest of Underwood’s honors:
- 2023-24 Gatorade National Player of the Year as a junior
- 2023 Michigan High School Player of the Year
- MaxPreps 2022-23 National Sophomore Player of the Year and Player of the Year
- MaxPreps 2021-22 National Freshman Player of the Year
- Michigan Associated Press Division 1-2 Player of the Year (2021)
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